1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for limiting the use of an image forming apparatus such as an MFP, and a system including the image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses called Multi Function Peripherals (MFPs) are prevalent in offices and others. Such image forming apparatuses have various functions including a copy function, a scanner function and a FAX function.
Image forming apparatuses have recently been equipped with a network function. Along with this, image forming apparatuses come to be used with other devices such as personal computers provided in the same network. For example, the network function enables an image forming apparatus to print a document prepared by a personal computer.
A driver for image forming apparatus (particularly, a printer driver in this case) is installed on a personal computer in order to generate data that is used for an image forming apparatus to print a document (hereinafter referred to as “print data”).
The printer driver converts drawing commands issued by an operating system of a personal computer or an application program into print data written in page description language that can be processed by an image forming apparatus. Then, the printer driver transfers the converted print data to the image forming apparatus.
In addition, along with a significant improvement in performance of personal computers, printer drivers have recently appeared by which the conversion into bitmap images can be performed in personal computers. Before that, the conversion into bitmap images had been performed in image forming apparatuses.
Image forming apparatuses have been equipped with various functions in addition to the network function. For example, image forming apparatuses have been equipped with functions including a color printing function, a duplex printing function and a stapling function.
Some of these functions, for example, the color printing function, are expensive compared to conventional cases. In contrast, other functions, for example, the duplex printing function can reduce the cost.
If the decision whether these functions are used is completely left to a user of each personal computer, then a possibility may arise that the cost is increased.
There is proposed a method for reducing the operational cost of an image forming apparatus used in cooperation with a personal computer or others, e.g., a method disclosed in Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 2005-182688. According to this method, a printer driver management device manages a printing type whose execution is allowed by a terminal. In response to a request to download a printer driver, the printer driver management device specifies a module of a printer driver to be transmitted to a download destination on the basis of the printing type whose execution is allowed by a terminal as the download destination. The printer driver management device transmits the specified module to the download destination.
Accordingly, this method enables a setting, on a terminal basis, of a printing type that can be executed in the same image forming apparatus, and enables forced prohibition of the execution of printing types other than the set printing type. Accordingly, on a terminal basis, it is possible to prohibit the use of an expensive function or to force the use of a function that is effective in reducing the cost.
Incidentally, in many cases, manufacturers of image forming apparatuses have recently established a Web site from which anybody can download a driver freely.
Accordingly, even if each personal computer is given a driver where printing conditions are limited using the method described in Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 2005-182688, a case may arise in which a driver having no limitations on printing conditions is obtained from the Web site and is used. If such is the case, an advantage of the cost reduction cannot be obtained.